Clouds
by HopelesslyChanny
Summary: "Chad?" Her voice is frail, damaged, broken. Like her.


**Wow, I haven't uploaded anything in AGES. This little fic has been sitting, half-written, in my notebook for months now, so here it is (finally)! I'll try to be a little more active on here, seeing as I finished my exams weeks ago and there's nothing left to do :P**

**~ Sorry, this is just a one-shot. ~**

* * *

Everything is a blur: the white walls, the blinking machines...and the pale, black-haired girl on the hospital bed. He wishes he'd stayed in the waiting room.

"No more than ten minutes." Two figures pass him, shutting the door softly behind them.

He tries to slow his breathing, for her sake. He focuses on a spot on the wall. His vision gradually returns, but he refuses to look right in front of him.

She isn't even bothered by the silence. She's had to endure it for the past 36 hours. Her fingers idly stroke the white sheets covering her body, shaking the drip in her arm.

The sound seems to alarm him. He looks over, his concern for her outweighing his desire to leave. Their eyes meet. In less than a second, he's in the chair next to her, holding her free hand in both of his. His eyes are glistening, but not in the way she's accustomed to.

He wanted to come in and see her happy. He knew it wasn't like that, but it was the only thing he could tell himself to keep from breaking down.

Happy. She'll be happy. She'll be herself. They'll fix her.

He chokes back a sob. Why haven't they fixed her?

They need to fix her. They need to-

"Chad?" Her voice is frail, damaged, broken. Like her.

He forces himself to look at the monitor quietly beeping in the background. It's so steady. Why is it steady? His heart is racing. What if it's too steady? What if she can't be fixed?

"Please say something," she whispers.

He doesn't know what to say.

"I don't understand." It's true. He has no idea, and he's terrified. Why can't he help her?

"I thought things were good."

She tries to shrug, the simple gesture proving difficult for her. "Sometimes things aren't what they seem."

"You were so happy," he manages to choke out.

"I'm an actress, Chad." She almost sounds like she's laughing.

It's unsettling for him. How can she be like this? How can she laugh and smile and act like it's nothing at all?

He takes a deep breath. He's been waiting to ask her this. He only problem is, he's scared of the reply.

"So what happens now?"

She looks down. "What do you want to happen now?"

"Isn't it obvious? I want...I want you back."

They both know it's impossible. The girl on that hospital bed isn't the girl he met twelve months ago. She's different, and they can both see it - her sunny world has clouded over.

"I'm sorry, Chad."

He looks up at her. She's trembling. Her eyes are filled with tears.

"I'm so sorry. You shouldn't even be here. It's my fault. It's all my fault-" He presses his lips to hers, stopping her mid-sentence. He pulls away after just a second. She wishes he would kiss her like he used to, and he wishes he could. Nothing's like it used to be anymore.

Why can't it be a dream? He would do anything to have her back again, to have the real Sonny in his arms.

But he can't. It's not up to him. He's only got her now, the girl in the white gown with limp hair and lifeless eyes.

"I want you to get better. To be yourself again."

"I..." she starts, immediately faltering. She draws back with her hands tucked under her chin, avoiding his gaze. "I don't know if I can. I keep trying and I can't..." her voice breaks at the end.

"I can't," she whispers, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry..." she repeats.

He winces and takes her hands in his. He wants her to keep trying. He wants her to be all right.

"There are so many clouds, Chad."

They've almost pulled her in. Almost, but not completely. There's a part of her that's still there; still his. Nothing can ever take her away from him.

She feels his grip tighten. He's always had a way of making her feel safe.

He finds himself smiling - a real smile, more than he'll ever be able to express in words.

"Yes, but the sun always comes out at the end."


End file.
